Le Diable Blanc
by Darth-Nil-Sith-Assassin
Summary: Brought over from my other account, Wendigo-Hunter. A rewrite and re-imagining of the story, where the Xmen take in a mentally unstable mutant with telekinesis and telepathy, and the hitchhiking voice in his head. (I do not own Xmen or other Marvel related concepts)
1. Day 1

Running was hard, running in icy cold snow was harder still. He hated snow, he hated his blackouts, he hated the horrible voices inside his head. His chest ached from breathing in the snowy air, his throat burned and he desperately wanted to stop running.

But it had happened again. His world had returned to him in a wash of crimson and screams.

His bare feet had gone numb a while ago and his hospital garb provided little protection from the bitter Russian winter. Soon he slowed and came to a stop, looking around him. Not knowing where he was he started walking and wrapped his arms around his chest, shivers racking his thin frame.

Soon he came upon an empty and undisturbed playground, he liked playgrounds. He opened the gate and went to sit on a swing, leaning his head against the cold metal chain.

He was going to freeze here, but that was okay, maybe he'd stop hurting people then. His eyes drooped, he was so tired, so very tired. The crunching of snow alerted him to new arrivals, he opened his eyes and looked at the newcomers.

A man, and a woman. They were loud, their voices echoing in his head as they approached. Red met blue as he met the man's gaze briefly, his voice becoming clear for the length of the gaze. He felt like warmth, but there were echoes of pain and anger. He opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out save for a puff of breath. Formulating sentences was hard at the best of times, even in his native tongue, he knew the words in English, having learned them from the voices, but he couldn't say them properly. The cold was making his limited capabilities even more limited, so he looked to the woman.

"Hello Ivan. My name is Ororo Munroe and this is Logan." her hair was the same as his, white and long, but where hers was full of life and framed her face beautifully, his hung in a stringy mess.

"Storm..." Ivan blinked, "That's... That's what he calls you... and they call you... Wol... Wolverine" he looked at the man again, as he struggled with the word, then back at snow. "You... should... let... freeze." he whispered, his brain's ability to function was diminishing fast.

"Why would we do that kid?" the man's gruff voice came as a growl, not a mean one but comforting to him. "We're here to bring you to someone who can help."

"Can't help... monster..." he slumped forward, his body finally fading into blissful numbness and darkness. He felt strong arms catch him before his mind finally went dark.

It was nice, no voices.


	2. Day 2

"Ivan Michaelovic Karutzev." he heard his name as the world slowly came back to him. It wasn't with his ears, but in his head. His eyes slowly opened and adjusted to the warm sunlight streaming in a window. His ears finally picked up the real world sounds around him, the mechanical beeps and chirps of medical equipment.

He felt the weight of a thick blanket on top of him, he felt warmer than he had ever felt and feeling had returned to his hands and feet. "Who's there?" his voice sounded weak and small, he tried to lift his head off the pillow but he felt so weak.

"My name is Charles Xavier." the voice was warm and fatherly. A figure moved into his field of vision, "How are you feeling?"

Realization hit Ivan like a truck as more and more voices entered his mind as it kicked in. Lots of people, lots of... he moved faster than his malnourished body should have allowed. Sure enough once his feet hit the ground, that burst of energy left him and he went crashing to the floor. Blood trickled down his arm as something was ripped out by the movement, "No... no... no..." he tried to crawl away as the voices grew louder, drowing out the loud beeping and Xavier's voice. Soon even they vanished, being replaced by mad cackling and a voice that felt like icy cold fingers wrapped around his throat. Glass littered the floor, some of it mirror, other bits were from the window.

"They can't help you. We're mad." the voice, constant and familiar, cold as ice and hell bent on his suffering, snickered in his head. He felt hands on his body as he was pulled away from the shattered glass, which was stained crimson.

A figure entered his field of vision as he was placed back up on the bed, warm hands going to the pale skin of his face. "Be still Ivan." Storm, she was an anchor for which to mentally grab onto reality.

"I... it hurts..." he gripped his head with bleeding hands, staining his white hair, "Make it... make it go away!" He could feel the bed shake, the machines straining under pressure while beeping loudly, as the powers that had him institutionalized spiralled out of control.

"Set me free. I can make them go away." he felt his throat and chest contract as icy fingers gripped at his heart and neck. "I can protect you."

Suddenly, all went quiet as the voice was banished by a calming voice, "You are going to be fine." he now knew that voice to be Xavier's. He took a breath in, the pain in his chest slowly going away. "That's it. Breath." and he did, painfully at first then it evened out as the pain left his body.

However with the pain that had numbed his senses gone, he became acutely aware of the glass cuts in his hands and forearms. He looked at them then at Xavier, the wheelchair bound man was smiling softly. "Gone... away..." he barely managed that simple sentence, his legs bouncing from pent up anxiety, "H... How? Did... did you help?"

"I did." He replied, "We share a similar gift you and I." Ivan stared at his hands, blood and glass glinting in the sunlight. His mind filled with the voices again, but they were quiet, muted almost. He started muttering trying to answer the voices he heard. He felt a warm voice drown out the others, "Do not wander too far."

He looked at Xavier briefly, "S... sorry." he muttered, the beeping of the machines finally quieted and evened out. "Too... too many voices... can't..." he tried to form the sentence but it was getting away from him. He focused on the words, "Where... am I?"

"You are at my school for mutants." he explained, "You have come a long way to be here." Ivan looked at him briefly, confused by that statement, he also looked over slightly at Storm who's warm presence was a welcome comfort. "We brought you here because we can help you."

"No... no... can't help..." he clutched his hands, digging the glass further in, fresh blood welling up as his emotions spiralled out of control again. He got up, bloody hands gripping his head again, "Can't help!"

"Ivan, calm yourself." Xavier said, trying to calm him down. "We're not going to hurt you." Why couldn't they understand, they had to leave, they were in danger. He would get out and they would be hurt. He didn't want that, why couldn't they have let him freeze. Storm got too close, her touch breaking down the last of his barriers.

And he freaked.

Screams erupted from his chest, mixed with bouts of cackling as he fought for control of his mind. "Let me out!!!" the voice cackled madly in his head, fingers of ice painfully gripped at his heart. He tried to beat the voice out, smashing his head against anything solid. Strong arms grabbed him and tried to hold him still, but he struggled and he screamed his legs and arms flailing trying to get free.

He felt a hand on his head, the rolling warmth through his mind. Pain finally penetrated the cloud of despair and emotion inside him. "G... Get him... out!" his voice sounded strange to even his own ears, "Please..." his struggling eventually slowed, and his vision fell upon the broad arms of Logan as the man's scent bought him back to reality. "Get... him... out." he whispered painfully. His head hurt, his hands hurt, his heart hurt, but he hadn't hurt them.

And that was okay.


	3. Day 3

His head throbbed painfully as the world slowly came back to him. He slowly opened his eyes and blearily looked at his hands, which had been cleaned and bandaged. Lying on his side he could barely see that he wasn't it the warm bedroom anymore, but a cold medical room. It was quiet here, no voices, no noise save the beeps of the medical machines hooked up to him. He looked around grogely, slowly proping himself up on his elbow to get a better view. He swallowed hard, his mouth and throat were dry from the noes tube feeding him oxygen. He somehow managed to sit up fully, legs hanging over the side of the bed. Not only was his head was throbbing and swimming but his hands and arms hurt like hell, the glass had gone deep and his nerves hated him for it.

He jumped a mile as the nearby door slid open with a whoosh. His gaze hurriedly went to the people who entered, his heart pounding loudly. It was Xavier, and someone else, someone big, blue and hairy. "You're awake?" the new person said, he sounded almost suprised.

"Ivan this is Hank McCoy." Xavier introduced his colleague.

"Where...? Did... did he hurt... anyone?" his speech slurred greatly, his mouth felt like something furry had died in it. "I... didn't want to... I..." his chest felt tight, "I... I'm sorry... I'll leave..." he made to get up but his head swam and his stomach did flips.

"Calm down Ivan, I am not angry at you." Xavier said softly as Hank eased him back down onto the bed and a glass of water was offered to him. "You are scared, that is understandable under these circumstances but you hurt yourself badly."

Ivan blinked back the stars as his head sent spikes of pain through him. "When you say 'he', who are you referring to?" Hank asked, noting that Ivan's entire body tensed up and started shaking.

"No... no... bad man... bad voice..." he gripped his head and started rocking, "Voice like... like ice in... in my heart." he curled in on himself. He felt the same warmth seep into his mind and knew that Xavier was helping, but now he felt really sick, his stomach twisting in knots.

He must have looked about to throw up as Xavier looked at Hank, and Hank looked at Xavier. "Ivan. Look at me." Xavier spoke calmly as he moved his wheelchair closer to the bed, "I need you to breath, can you do that?" he looked to Hank as the big man went to the cabinets.

"He... he wants... hurt... pain... to destroy..." Ivan strained to speak against his tightening chest. He need to calm down, they weren't going to hurt him, they were nice, kind.

"Are they really?" the voice was a whisper, creeping from the darkness of his mind.

He looked at Xavier, his voice was muffled, silent even. Was he a nice man? Storm had felt like warmth, but he couldn't read this man. "What... do you... do you want... with me?" his voice shook, "I'm... not going back to the hospital..."

"I won't send you back Ivan, you have a strong gift. You just need to learn to control it." Xavier said, "And whoever or whatever this voice is, I'm sure we can quiet it."

He blinked as his mind dulled, he felt drugs coursing through his system. He saw Hank near the I.V bag, syringe in hand "This should help you to relax." the man said, "You've opened the wounds on your hands."

He looked down at his hands, seeing the blood there. "I don't... want him... to hurt... people." he slurred, "I... don't want... to hurt... people."

"Don't worry Ivan. You won't hurt anyone." Xavier said kindly, "When you are better, you can go back upstairs and meet people, people like you and me."

Ivan looked at him blearily, then back at Hank as he cleaned the reopened wounds on his palms. "M' cold..." he mumbled, shivers wracking his body.

"Lie down and rest." Xavier said, "Your body needs time to heal." Hank helped Ivan lie back down, careful of his head injury, then pulled the heavy quilt up over his body.

"M' sorry." he said sluggishly. His mind slowly fading back into darkness, but that was okay.

Sleep ment no voices.


	4. Day 4 pt1

"How are you today Ivan?" he looked at Xavier, who looked at him with a smile and an offered glass of water.

"Quiet... pain... dark... cold " he mumbled as he pulled at the threads of his sweater sleeve. "No sunlight..."

He felt Xavier's gaze on him as he took the glass of water, careful to avoid contact with the older man's hands. "Would you like to go outside?" Xavier asked, then fell silent as Ivan's whole body tensed up and he struggled to breath. Outside? Outside meant people, people meant voices. He couldn't block them out, he couldn't, "Calm yourself Ivan. I will be with you."

Ivan looked at him as he calmed down slowly, "Scared..." he whispered, "I don't want... him to hurt people..."

"He won't. And neither will you." he said.

Ivan nodded, then looked at his still bandaged hands, "M' sorry." he muttered, "I... don't want to... be a problem..."

"Do not apologise." Xavier said, "I understand your hesitation, but being locked up down here isn't going to help your mental wellbeing one bit." Ivan nodded again, "Are you able to head up now?"

He hesitated for a few minutes, trying to wrap his mind around the idea. He hated how slow his mind formulated and sorted information but Xavier was waiting so patiently he must have known his struggle. "What... what do I do if... if it goes bad?" he finally asked, "If... he... or I hurts someone..."

"You won't." He repeated.

"You... don't know that." he said, slightly harsher than he meant to. "M' sorry, just... really scared."

"I know." Xavier said, "Come, let us go upstairs and see the mansion and the other students."

Nodding Ivan slipped, somewhat less gracefully than he wanted, off the bed and stood slowly. He would have to control himself, control the voice and not hurt anyone.

The elevator ride was conducted in silence, but as they neared the surface level the voices filled his head. He gripped his head with one hand, limp hair tangling up in his thin fingers, while the other arm wrapped around his stomach and gripped his sweater in a white knuckle grip. "You're okay Ivan." Xavier's voice broke through the noise and the voices became muted.

The doors slid open and they entered the warm, sunlit hallway. Ivan looked around, every voice was something different but all along the same theme, education. A voice caught his attention and his eyes widened, "Russkiy chelovek?" he slipped back to his mother tongue. He looked at Xavier who smiled to him, "Who?"

"That would be Piotr." he replied. "Everyone is in class right now, would you like the tour?" Ivan nodded slowly.

The mansion was huge, Ivan noted, and full of noise. Classes were held in order to give mutant children a safe learning environment, or so Xavier said. He saw Storm, teaching a class of youth and he felt her warm aura radiating out from the room. He blinked and covered his ears as the loud bell rank, signifying the end of class. "Loud..." he muttered. They had just entered Xavier's own classroom that doubled as his office, when voices, actual human voices entered the hall. He looked around and saw nothing but a sea of people, talking and moving to the next classes. His heart hurt, but not the way it did when the bad voice came. He looked at these people, talking and laughing like normal people, even though they were anything but normal, and his heart longed to be like that.

"Ivan. Are you alright?" Xavier's voice entered his mind, and it was only then that he felt warm tears rolling down his cold cheeks. Whipping them away quickly, he turned away from the crowd and looked out the window. He wasn't normal, not even mutant normal, and he never would be. "Of course you will."

He muttered under his breath, wanting nothing more at that moment than to die. It was the same as before, the ungodly need to stop the pain and despair, maybe he could make it stop then. Maybe he could, "Ivan, do not wander down that path." he felt Xavier's hand on his arm.

"M' Sorry." he said, taking in deep breaths. "It's... hard."

"I know and I understand." Was the reply.

" ** _But does he really_**?" the voice was back, clawing at his mind, " ** _I wonder, would he be so nice if he knew what we'd do to his precious students_**?" He could feel the windows shake, " ** _Kill them all_**." He looked at Xavier, not hearing what the older man was saying, all he could hear was the order to kill. Then another noise entered his hearing, giggling.

His own demented giggling. Giggling turned to laughter as he lost the battle of wills with the bad voice.


	5. Day 4 pt2

"I forgot how good it feels to be me!" Charles watched as the young, frightened man changed completely. The stance, the way it held itself, even the voice that left Ivan's mouth was different but the most frightening change was the eyes.

They glowed with blood lust.

A sick, twisted smirk marred its porcelain skin as it ran Ivan's hands through Ivan's hair, fingers pushing it away from what was Ivan's face. It turned to face Charles, "Ivan..." Charles began, he could no longer read Ivan's mind, trying was met by white noise and loud screams not his own.

"Isn't in. Can we take a message." Vicious thoughts were pushed towards Charles as the thing in Ivan's body retaliated against the attempted invasion of its mind. He became acutely aware of the panicked thoughts from the whole school, and he realised this thing in Ivan's body was attacking them to. It prowled, a predator pacing the room. Its movements like water, fluid and graceful, belying the chaotic storm beneath. "You look surprised, Ivan did try to warn you."

"Who are you." Charles questioned, the pressure from the young man's assault straining his entire body.

"Me?" came the reply, sadistic and cold, "I have so many names, so many titles... The Bad man, The White Death, Le Diable Blanc, Il Diablo. But you." it pointed a thin finger at Charles, "You may refer to me as Isaac."

Charles felt the psionic pressure lessen as the sadistic crack in its psyche started to seal. "Oh dear. Your little pet wants to come back." Isaac sneered at Charles, then shrugged "Oh well, introductions have been made. I will let you have him back... for now." the grin that marred its face was a window into the twisted sickness inside its head. Suddenly as fast as it happened, all the sadistic emotions that made up Isaac vanished, leaving behind a distraught and exhausted Ivan. The young man gripped his head and sank to the floor, a painfully heartbreaking wail left his throat as realisation hit him like a truck. It hit Charles harder than the appearance of the other mind had.

What had this other mind done?

What had it made Ivan do?

And most importantly what was it?


	6. Day 5

"Run that by me again Charles." Logan crossed his arms. He, Jean and Storm had arrived moments after the psychic pressure had vanished. "Another personality?"

Xavier sighed, closing his eyes and resting his forehead on his fingers. The young white haired man at the window was rocking back and forth on his heels, muttering to himself seemingly unaware of the other people in the room. "I believe this other personality is more than that." Xavier spoke, looking at the three before him, "It was as if another person took control of him."

"Bad man..." Ivan muttered, tapping on the window in intervals of three. Jean walked over to him, guiding him away from the window.

"This other person called himself Isaac, what did he want?" Storm asked.

"Pain..." Ivan said, now rocking back and forth on his chair, "Pain... destruction... I don't want him... to hurt anyone."

"I know you don't." Charles said softly, "But I believe that if you don't learn to control your powers then Isaac will take over again." he looked at Ivan, the young man's red eyes were wide with pain and innocence.

"So what's the plan?" Logan asked, looking at Ivan who hid his face in his hair. "He's a danger."

Xavier sighed again and massaged his temples, his interaction with Isaac had left him with a blossoming headache. "I'm not sure." he said. "Ivan..."

"If it helps professor I may have found information." Jean said, handing Xavier a small file. Inside was a Russian newspaper, along with its translation and medical records.

October 13th 1978,

State Security Agent under investigation after wife found dead and infant son seriously injured. A agent of the State Security Committee has been arrested after his wife was found dead and and one of the suspect's infant sons was seriously injured at the suspects house. It is believed that the suspect had attempted to dispose of both twins but neighbours entered the home before the suspect could...

The article ended abruptly, but it did have some photos. The suspect looked almost like an older version of Ivan, save for having darker hair and eyes.

He looked at the medical report, it was a initial report for a Psychiatric hospital dating from June 1993.

He scanned the document, picking out prominent details. Admission of Ivan Michaelovic Karutzev, son of Michael Gregorovitch Karutzev.

Reason for admission: attempted murder of his father while visiting him in prison.

Grandfather, Gregor Ivanovich Krutzev, who witnessed the insident claimed his grandson had become possessed, that a different person had taken control. Court ruling, not guilty by means of insanity.

Initial assessment: mental degradation, schizophrenia, and definitive symptoms of Multiple Personality Disorder. Mental capabilities greatly reduced compared to boys of a similar age, showing stunted mental growth. However when the other personality, who calls himself Isaac, comes forth he displays a higher than average cognitive capability and displayed the ability to tell information not accessible to patients.

"Father hated us..." Ivan said, tapping his heel against the leg of the chair. "Brother... died. Mother... died. I wanted him to die..." he looked at the floor and gripped his hair.

"Easy kid." Logan put his hand on Ivan's shoulder.

"Did Isaac attack your father?" Xavier asked, moving over to Ivan. "Or did you?" He didn't reply, he wanted to run but Logan's hand kept him in place. "Ivan. Did you do it or did Isaac?" he couldn't read Ivan's mind, it was a muddled mess of uncontrolled emotions.

"I... wanted to do it..." he replied, "I wanted it so bad... then the bad voice came." he took a deep breath, focusing on Storm, trying to ground himself. "He said... he could make the... the pain go away. He said he... could make Father go... go away forever."

"And?" Xavier encouraged.

"We tried. He put a pen... into father's... throat." he looked up briefly. "But... dedushka stopped us before he could make sure. Dedushka was... so scared of me..." he gripped his head and curled in on himself, "I didn't want... him to be scared. I just wanted it... to stop."

"Did it stop?" Jean asked softly. Ivan shook his head, "It got worse?"

Xavier watched the young man, his mind was still a mess of emotions but he was able to discern some thoughts. "He... he got louder. He made me... do things... things I didn't want to..."

"Was it he who got you out of the hospital?" Xavier asked, Ivan nodded.

"He... hurt people." he replied, flashes of blood and screams erupted in his mind. "He hurt people and broke... free."

Storm took hold of Ivan's hands, she turned them palm side up, blood had begun to seep through the bandages. "You have opened you wounds again." she cast a side long look at Xavier. "You should rest."

He had to agree. Not only had he reopened the wounds on his hands but Ivan was also getting too worked up, he was likely to cause himself more injuries. "Would you like to go lie down?" he asked the youth, "Hank can give you something to help you sleep."

Ivan nodded slowly, "Okay..."


	7. Day 6

He didn't like the way sedatives made his brain fuzzy, but with the pain returning to his head, making his head feel as though something was sitting on it, he was glad for them. He did like sunshine and grass and nature, so here he was sitting on the lawn, grass tickled his bare feet and the sun warmed his thin body. He could hear them, his minders, they were cautious about letting him outside, he couldn't blame them.

He could also hear everyone in the school, they were happy and thinking about schoolwork, crushes, trivial things that he could only dream off. A voice got closer to him, it sounded European, possibly German. The sun was blocked out by a person, causing him to look up at them. "What are you doing over here by yourself?" definitely German. The young man was blue, but he was different to Hank. Not as furry, he had a tail and non-human hands and feet.

"Not alone... never alone... sitting on grass..." Ivan mumbled, his own accent coming out thicker, as he lowered his gaze and pulled grass from the lawn. He stopped pulling as a thought struck him, "Why... why talk to me?" he looked up at the young man.

"You seemed lonely." was the cheerful reply, "I'm Kurt, Kurt Wagner. What's your name?" holding out his hand for Ivan to shake.

"Ivan... Michaelovic Karutzev." he replied shyly as he took the blue man's hand carefully. The man's cheerfulness was infectious, his happy thoughts drowning out the other voices.

"Nice to meet you." Kurt was still smiling, which brought a small smile to Ivan but then reality crashed back to him as the other voices filtered back.

"Shouldn't talk to me..." he retreated into himself, curling in on himself. He began pulling grass again, trying not to reopen the wounds on his hands... again.

"Why not?" Kurt was a strange person. He had approched Ivan with little fear and a warm curiosity for the wiry, barefoot russian.

"M' dangerous." he muttered into his fabric covered knee. He felt the German sit down beside him, a warmth radiating from him that made Ivan look at him again.

"I don't know if you have noticed but you are surrounded by people like you, we can handle a little danger." Kurt was still smiling. If only he knew, he had to know. He had to have felt Isaac's psionic attack on the school, he had to know it was him.

"S'more than a little..." Ivan said, his headache sending short spikes of pain through him as he rested his head on his knees. His bandaged hands were shaking and he tried desperately not to clench them. "Might cause you harm..." he continued.

"You might, but then again you might not." Kurt replied, and Ivan stared at him, crimson meeting gold, how could he be so sure.

Ivan looked away again, gaze returning to the ground, the gentle breeze russling his limp white hair. He relaxed a small bit, tense limbs releasing some of their tension, but he remained hypersensitive to everything. "You... you are a nice person..." he said, "But... I don't deserve... kindness..."

He felt Kurt's eyes on him, he could hear his voice, thoughts racing through his mind as he observed the barefoot Russian. Ivan couldn't look at him, fearing that kind gaze so full of understanding and warmth. "Why not?" was the Germans reply.

"I... he's hurt so many people..." he replied, "We've hurt so many people... don't want him to hurt anymore..." he hugged his knees.

"Do you want to hurt people?" Kurt asked. Ivan shook his head, "Does this other person want you to hurt people?" Ivan nodded, "Then don't listen to him."

Ivan looked up sharply, a mistake given his sore head, staring at Kurt with big eyes. "I... I can't... he makes me... do it..." tears slipped down his pale cheeks. He felt sad but he was still in control of his powers, he wasn't panicking. Something about this kind and optimistic man was like Storm, and grounded his fractured mind. He buried his face in his knees, hiding his tears as they brought hiccups with them, "It's hard... I don't want... I don't want to hurt people..."

He felt another presence, the strong voice he heard alerted him to Logan. "You bothering him Elf?" his gruff voice broke the silence that had engulfed the two of them.

He zoned out the two of them as he tried to control his tears and hiccups. His head was now hurting more than ever, crying was a bad idea but he couldn't help it. He jumped a mile when an odd, three digit hand was placed on his shoulder, he turned quickly. Too quickly for his headache to handle and his vision became spotty, going black briefly and he felt very nauseous. When his vision cleared he was on his back, the warm grass cradling his head. Two shapes were standing over him, but the sunlight was suddenly overpowering and he couldn't make out who it was. "You okay kid?" Logan's voice was like a nail in his head, and he felt the strong man's hands on his shoulders pulling his gently into a seated position.

"Feel... sick..." he could barely speak, bile rising in his throat as he sat up. "Feel.. very sick..."

He tried to push Logan off as the man picked him up to carry him back to the mansion. "Easy Kid." Logan's chest rumbled as he spoke, it was comforting.

He rested his throbbing head against Logan's broad chest and closed his eyes. Where was Kurt? Had he scared him off? He couldn't hear any voices, his head hurt too much.

"Is he okay?" Kurt, he was there, close by. He opened his eyes slightly, looking to see how close the German was.

"Head... hurts..." Ivan mumbled, "Feel sick..."

"Let's get you to Hank then." Logan said, as they stepped into the elevator.

The table was cold when he was placed on it, his feet dangling over the edge. Logan kept a hand on his shoulder as he kept him upright. Kurt had gone somewhere, possibly looking for Hank. "M'sorry..." he mumbled as he gripped his head, feeling nauseous again as his headache pulsed behind his eyes.

"Nothin' to be sorry for Kid." Logan said.

"Logan is right." he heard Hank enter with Kurt. "You hurt your head quite badly, to be honest."

Ivan looked at him, "Hurts..." he barely managed to mumble.

"Hmm." Hank looked at him, giving him a thorough examination. The addition of a pocket light was too much and his nausea over took him. His throat burned as the little that was in his stomach came rushing out, followed by more tears. Somehow he missed Hank, but it did make a mess on the clean floor.

He tried to say he was fine, but everytime he tried he threw up more. He didn't think there was enough in his stomach to fuel his vomiting, but it kept going. His head sent spikes of pain down his nerves and he wanted it to stop so badly.

His vision went blurry, everything hurt and he started to blackout. He felt hands on him as his mind went blank.


	8. Day 7 pt1

Voices filtered into his mind as the world came back to him, "I'm concerned Charles. These are the scans we took when he arrived and these are the ones after the emergence of this Isaac person." he heard Hank, he sounded concerned.

"What am I looking at Hank?" Xavier's voice was there as well. He slowly opened his eyes, flinching at the bright light above him.

"Isaac is causing Ivan's mental degradation, the self harm, the self hatred and even the suicidal urges." Hank explained, "Ivan's weakened cognitive brain can't handle the invasion of a stronger mind, so it's trying to destroy itself."

Xavier remained quiet, neither men had noticed Ivan had awoken and was staring at them. A sigh left the older man, Ivan could tell he was sad but why was he sad? A chill ran down his spine, and he pulled the covers tighter around him. This alerted both men to him, they seemed surprised by him. "You're awake?" Xavier wheeled over to him, "How do you feel?"

"Cold... head hurts..." he found that forming coherent sentences was becoming more difficult and his words slurred greatly. "M'sorry..."

"What are you apologizing for?" Xavier asked gently, "You've done nothing wrong."

Ivan looked at him then away as an embarrassed blush creeped across his face, "Made... made you worry... shouldn't be... worried about... me..."

"Of course we are worried about you." Xavier replied. Ivan looked at him again, eyes wide and wet with unshed tears.

"You... should have left me... in the snow." he curled in on himself, hiding his face in the blanket. "I... I don't want to... hurt people..."

"You haven't hurt anyone Ivan." Xavier said.

"I have!" Ivan yelled, "I made you sad, I hurt you... I hurt your... your heart..." Tears soaked into the blanket, hiccups following the tears and sobs. Why couldn't they understand, he was a monster, they should have let him...

"Ivan." Xavier's voice broke the oppressive self hatred that threatened to break him. He became vagely aware of the shaking lights and wall panels. "You are not a monster, you're hurting and scared, these things do not make a monster."

Tear filled eyes looked to Xavier, wide and innocent but filled with pain. "You... can't know that." he whispered, he could feel ice cold fingers gripping his heart and throat. "He will... get out and... and hurt people. I... I can't stop him."

"You can." Xavier said, clearly feeling Ivan's fluctuating powers spike. He curled in on himself, biting his lip as he tried to hold onto his mind. He wanted to believe Xavier, he wanted to stay with them, but his fragile mind was crumbling.

Soon all he could hear was demented giggling, the pain vanished as he lost the battle.


	9. Day 7 pt2

**"And I looked, and behold a pale horse; and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him."** \- Revelations 6:8

Charles looked at Ivan, feeling the sudden change. He backed up slowly as the giggles came from the young man, followed by sharp crimson eyes appearing from beneath the blanket. "Ivan..."

"Come now professor." came the chuckled reply, "Must you insult me." The blanket was thrown off and the white blur came for Charles.

"Charles!" Hank moved in front of Charles, resulting in the young man to skidding to a halt, a wicked grin marring his porcelain skin.

His crimson eyes flashed with glee and he jumped back, landing on the examination table. He giggled, running his hand through his hair, pushing it out of his face. "Oh..." he cooed, "How I love the smell of fear."

He looked at them, "Ivan! You can fight him!" Hank called, which earned him a sadistic giggle.

"The pale horse has done a wonderful job." he replied as he held out a hand and pulled a scalpel to him. "But now I shall raise Hell!" he barked a laugh and ran at them, blade at the ready.

Hank aimed to grab him, but with the pale man's lite frame it was like grabbing wet soap. A thin slice across the cheek had him backing away, with a gleeful snarl leaving the young man. Blood lust danced across his sharp eyes, as he ran his tongue across the blood stained blade. "Isaac, this is not the way!" Charles tried to talk him down.

"Oh?" He didn't even look at Charles, but Charles could feel the pressure increasing as the young man's psionic attack expanded to the rest of the school. "I suppose you are correct." he giggled and made for the door. He slid under Hank as the big man tried to once again grab him, a mocking wink and kiss motion as he made it to door.

Logan moved to the elevator as the attack increased on the staff and students. A bundle of white launched out the elevator as the door opened, a sharp blade piercing his neck as the crimson eyes of Ivan looked at him. The young man jumped away from Logan, looking at him with a sadistic grin and an evil glint in those red eyes. "Logan, Logan, Logan. How the brat liked you, shame I can't kill you." he looked at the thing called Isaac, "It would truly break the brat."

"What are you?" he growled, his wound already healed. Issac chuckled and licked the blood from the blade.

"An Angel!" he cooed sadistically, spreading his arms out wide. "And my name is Death!"

"Logan!" he heard Storm, watching as a flash crossed Isaacs eyes as her voice brought Ivan forth, even for a split second.

"Miss Monroe!" Isaac turned to her, and focused more of his attack on her, trying to force her away. "You... you I can kill!" With Isaacs attention drawn away from him, Logan moved quickly, claws at the ready. Isaac turned just enough that Logans strike hit his arm. The pain seemed to draw Ivan forth more, "Logan... help... help me!" he gripped his arm as blood soaked into his jumper. "Shut up brat!" Isaac snarled, then turned a hate filled glare at Logan, then an ugly sneer appeared on his face, "Well done Logan, and here I though you a dumb animal."

"Isaac!" the young man jumped out of the way of a bolt of lightning, "You are not welcome here!" he looked at Ororo.

"Shame. I quite like causing these people misery." He mocked, then dodged another attack from Logan. Suddenly the attack lessened as the elevator door slid open and Charles exited with Hank. A sadistic laugh escaped Isaac, as more and more people entered the halls, "It's a bonafied party now!" he giggled.

"You have nowhere to go Isaac." Charles said, "Who are you, and why do you want Ivan?"

"Who?" he asked, eyes flashing from beneath his hair as it fell in his face once more. A giggle followed by a sigh escaped him before he pointed a blood soaked finger at the group, "I am Death! I am the Devil! I am what our father failed to kill! Ivan is merely the vessel I can take from the monster that sired us."


	10. Day 7 pt3

"Murderers are not monsters, they're men. And that's the most frightening thing about them." - Alice Sebold

The blunt realisation hit Charles like a bus, "You are the other child."

"Bingo! Ten points to the intellectual!" he clapped, despite the injury to his arm, "Well I was." He grinned wickedly, "Now? I am what he made me."

"And what is that?" Logan growled, Isaac looked at him, a sneer on pale lips he cast a brief look at the front door, "Shame my brother's mind was badly made. He could have been so useful."

"What do you want with him?" Logan growled, claws at the ready.

He smirked as one white eyebrow quirked, "What I want?" He cooed mockingly, "What I want is nothing more than freedom."

"Freedom!? Does the kid have no say in this!?" Logan yelled, taking a few steps forward.

"Nope." He grinned, wide and mockingly childish. "Never did."

"Ivan!" he looked at Kurt as he Bamfed in front of the Russian.

A deep smouldering hatred darkened Isaac's featured, "You will not take him from me!" he snarled at Kurt, directing the brunt of his psionic attack at him.

Logan moved, Storm covering him as he ran at Isaac, hoping to break his hold on Ivan. Isaac sent him flying but was caught of guard by Hank. An hate filled snarl escaped Isaac as the three cornered him, the a Bamf alerted him to Kurt. Crimson met gold, "Kurt...?" Ivan whispered, gripping his head as he faught Isaac, clawing for control.

"Ivan, you can defeat him." Kurt said, "I know you can!"

"YOU CAN'T HAVE HIM!" Isaac barked, sending everyone flying, forcing them to the ground with a heavy psionic attack, the pressure of which was sickening, heavy and fueled by raw negative emotions. "I worked too long and too hard for my plans to be ruined by you pathetic cockroaches!" He turned hate filled eyes to Logan, who was struggling to stand up.

"You know... what they say about... cockroaches?" Logan grinned, "We're hard to kill!"

"Tsk. Disgusting creature." Isaac began to walk to Logan but he stopped mid stride. "What the...?"

He gripped his head as Ivan forced his mind forth, "Storm..." wide and innocent eyes looked at them, "Logan..."

"Come on Ivan, you can beat him!" Logan sank to his knees again. Ivan cried out in agony, falling to his knees as he gripped his head tighter.

"If I can't have you! Then no one can!!!" Isaac yelled, directing his attack to Ivan, who screamed in agony as he writhed on the floor.

Kurt was the first to him, followed by Logan and Storm. Charles was by his side quickly, "What the hell is going on Charles!?" Logan growled.

"He's..." he began but stopped when the youth suddenly became silent and unresponsive. Dull red eyes stared into nothingness, even when Logan lifted him up slightly.

"Come on kid!" he shook the pale youth gently, still getting no response.

"Ivan?"


	11. Day 7 pt4

" _ **And when He opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature saying, Come. And I saw, and behold, a black horse; and he who sits on it had a balance in his hand.**_ " - Revelations 6: 5 - 6.

"Ivan?" Logan shook the smaller man, but there was no response. "Come on Kid." he repeated, then the sound of sadistic laughter erupted from a female student before she took off in a run.

"He hopped bodies!" Hank said, as Kurt bamfed after the possessed student with Storm following behind.

Kurt bamfed after the possessed student, appearing in front of her but Isaac let her go and went for another student further down the hall. Logan came barreling down the hall, claws at the ready. Kurt bamfed outside the building, hoping to catch the possessed student outside. What greeted him outside was a tall, dark haired man, dressed in an equally dark suit, standing by a black car. "What?" He spotted a person in the car, but the dark tinted windows made it hard to see them properly.

The mansion doors burst open and the possessed student fell to the ground as Isaac let him go and the person in the car moved. Logan barreled out the doors, charging for the car. The dark haired man moved to stand in his path, "Move it!" Logan growled as he aimed claws for the man's head. The man however held up his gloved hand and stopped the metal claws, even though they pierced his palm. Logan growled in pain as blood dripped onto his skin before hitting the ground, both of them began to rot. He pulled his claws out and backed away, watching as his skin rotted and healed before rotting again. The man's wound healed, "What the Hell are you?"

"I am he who rides the black horse." He said in a cold, whispering voice. "But you may call me Zero."

"Zero?" Logan growled, then looked as the window rolled down and crimson eyes flashed from beneath white hair, followed by a oppressive psionic attack.

"Mr. Karutzev is in a hurry, it is in your best interest not to impede him." Zero said, sunglasses glinting in the sun as he looked at the doors, where Xavier, Storm and Hank stood, the big blue man holding Ivan. "The Pale Horse has served his purpose, now he is to be cast off. Do with him what you will, for he is of no use to Mr Karutzev."

"So you think we're just going to let you go!?" Logan growled, claws ready to gut Isaac and the man before him, but the psionic attack was holding him, a gnawing grip on his mind and heart.

"You know not of what is to come." He replied, "Mr. Karutzev will bring the World to its knees."

"Like Hell he will!" he finallt managed to move, even if it was a small bit, and made to land a blow on Zero.

"Logan stop!" Xavier said, looking at Zero. "There are more followers?" he asked Zero as the dark haired man moved around the car to get in.

"The sword. The Bow and crown." he replied, "Red and White." he opened the door and after getting in, the car seemed to vanish as it drove away.


	12. Day 8

"Why did you stop me Charles?" Logan barked, slamming his fists on the desk, "Look what he did to Ivan! You let him get away away!"

"I know what he has done Logan and what I did." Charles said quietly looking at the aforementioned young man, who was in the corner of the room unresponsive and staring into nothingness.

"Then why did you stop me!?" Logan demanded.

"We would have put the students in danger." Storm said, "We do not know what this Zero it truely capable of, not to mention who or what the others are."

"Logan, I understand your anger." Charles said, "Believe me, but if we run in without thinking... more people will be either killed, or worse." He looked at Ivan again who, seeming to sense the negative emotions, tried to move, started kicking and squirming as he screamed incoherently.

Logan's jaw clenched, "We have to do something!" he growled as Storm went to Ivan.

"We will, but we have to take care of Ivan." Charles said, "Get him proper help."

"We're not sending him away!" Logan barked.

"There is nothing we can do Logan!" Charles retorted, "We don't have to facilities for a case like this."

"He's staying Charles, we promised him that he wouldn't go back to the hospital and I intend to uphold that promise. Even if you won't." He stood up straight.

Soon he was alone and the room was quiet and empty, with a sigh Charles closed his eyes and rubbed his forehead. How could he let this get so bad? Ivan had been reduced to a shell of unrestrained emotions, Isaac had shattered him.

His own brother.

But now there was another problem, this mutant called Zero. Who and what was he? And who were the other two Zero spoke of. His mind was full of questions, but he had no answers. He moved to Cerebro, he would find them, maybe not Isaac, maybe he might catch a glimpse of Zero.

" _Find me..._ " a whispering voice echoed in his mind.

Charles jumped, startled by the sudden voice, then he closed his eyes and concentrated hard, " _Who are you?_ " he aksed the voice.

" _One who knows your adversary._ " came the reply, " _Find me Charles Xavier and I shall help you._ "


	13. Day 9

The Care home before them was nice and well maintained, in a tudor style. It was surprisingly sunny in London, with clear skies and a warm sun. "Are you sure the person is here professor?" Storm asked, looking to him.

"We tracked the mutant here." Xavier replied, "Though who they are alludes me."

They entered the building and were greeted by a young woman behind the reception desk, "Hello there." she smiled to them, "Are you here to see our John Doe?"

Xavier looked at her, he heard the quiet telepathic suggestions in her mind. "Yes. We're friends of his."

"Oh that's wonderful!" she smiled, "He rarely gets guests. He's out in the garden at the moment, shame he gets to go out so rarely."

"Thank you." He replied, and they made their way to the gardens. Opening the door they were greeted by the site of a wheelchair bound man, staring unblinking out across the gardens. "Are you the one we seek?" he asked the man.

" _Depends._ " his voice echoed in their minds, his eyes were the only thing that moved. The only sounds besides those of the environment were the mechanical beeps and whines of life support machines attached to him and his chair. " _You are here about Zero and his new master?_ "

"How do you know them?" Charles asked, the paused for a moment, "Why wait to contact us?"

" _Patient Zero and I come from a mutant testing lab._ " he returned his gaze to the gardens, " _This Isaac is preying on Zero's hatred of Homo sapiens. As to why I waited, I needed to know their plan._ "

"Who are you?" Charles asked, this time when the man looked at him, mountains of mental data was forced into his brain. He was lost in the bombardment of information, memories and emotions. When he was released from the mental assault, a headache was blossoming and he was left out of breath.

" _I thought you different Charles Xavier, I believed your mind to be strong enough to endure mine._ " He looked back out across the gardens, " _A shame but it can't be helped. I am known as John Doe, formally known as Patient X, and before that I can't remember. And as you can tell, I am what the nice nurses call a vegetable. Funny how they can't hear me._ "

"What can you tell us?" Xavier asked.

" _Many things, but what I know of the one called Isaac is sparse. I know that he is occupying a body not his own, it appears to a cloned body._ "

"A cloned body?" Storm questioned, "How is that possible?"

" _How should I know?_ " he replied, " _All I know is that this body isn't natural, his mind is grabbing onto a blank slate_." He looked at them again, " _In order to take him out of the equation you will need to find his original body, wherever he has it stored._ "

Charles stared at the man, "Can you find it?" he asked carefully.

" _As with you, Charles Xavier, I would need an amplifier. I would also need a mental imprint of this Isaac to track his mind to the original body._ " his eyes looked back to Xavier then Storm, " _His brother perhaps._ " he looked at Xavier, " _Don't give me that look Charles, I am well aware of the damage this Isaac has done to him._ "

"Why do you refer to him as this Isaac?" Storm asked.

" _That's the million dollar question isn't it. One to which you want an answer, but you already have it._ " he looked back to the gardens, "A _shame really._ "


	14. Day 10

(That moment when you think you have created a really cool, mysterious character in your head... and he turns into a right bellend when you put him in writing)

"Who the Hell is this Charles?" Logan growled, eyes fixed on the wheelchair bound man beside Charles.

" _Ooh, look._ " the snide remark was heard by all, " _The dog can use human words._ " Logan growled in response, taking an agressive posture as he turned to fully face the man.

"Easy Logan." Charles said, the situation seething into chaos, "He is here to help."

" _So hold your horses and let's get introduced like civilised people, which I know may be hard for you but do try._ " Logan looked to Charles, who shook his head.

"Logan this is... John Doe." Charles said, "He knows Zero, and will help us find him and Isaac."

" _I would shake your hand, but wait...no... I wouldn't actually, might catch something._ " John said.

"Listen bub I ain't in the mood for your bull!" Logan barked, "So take that attitude and shove it up..."

" _Such lovely language, do you kiss with that mouth?_ " John sniped, " _I can guarantee that you wouldn't be all happy and sugar sweet when you spend twenty God damned years of absolutely nobody being able to hear you._ " He then looked to the door as Jean entered. "Now _isn't this a surprise._ " he stared at Jean, " _He would find you a great asset to his campaign._ "

"Excuse me?" she asked.

"John..." Charles began but John cut him off.

" _Come now professor, you've been holding out on me._ " he replied, " _What do you need me for when you've got her?_ "

"What are you talking about?" Logan growled, moving to defend Jean.

" _Oh if he catches even a sniff of you... he'll be on you like flies on trash._ " John stared at her.

"You said that you are familiar with Zero." Charles said, trying to take control of the situation. "What is he?"

" _A mutant_." he replied, " _His body is in a constant state of decay, and the only thing keeping him from dying is his regenerative capabilities. Every biological matter that comes into contact with any fluid created in his body will rot._ "

"He called himself the Rider of the Black Horse. And Isaac referred to Ivan as the Pale Horse... does this mean he is attempting to one up Apocalypse?" Jean asked.

" _Insert satirical clapping here. Well done to the red head in the corner_!" he rolled his eyes, " _Which means you have War and depending on his interpretation, either Conquest or Pestilence, left to encounter._ "

"Can you find Zero?" Charles asked.

" _You've asked that before, and of course I can. You just need to give me an amplifier._ " he looked at Jean again, then Logan and back to Charles, " _I will also need a mental imprint of Isaac so I can catch a glimpse of him. His brother is still here yes?_ "

Logan grabbed John's chair and turned it to face him fully, then got up close and personal with the wheelchair bound man. "You ain't gonna get close to him. You even think of touching him..." he snapped at him.

" _Or what? Nothing you do to me will be a disservice."_ John replied, " _I can't fight back, so have at it that is your wish._ " Logan stayed still for a long minute, his anger seeting and twisting the room's atmosphere. " _But you won't, there has been too much pain and hurt inflicted in the search for answers. So if you want to stop Isaac and Zero, you will need my help._ "


	15. Day 11

" _So this is Cerebro?_ " John asked as he and Xavier wheeled into the chamber, " _Smaller than I imagined._ "

"It's enough." Charles replied, looking at John.

" _Clearly. Let's see if it works._ " John replied. " _He won't hide from me any longer._ "

-xXx-

Elsewhere:

"Finally we meet Erik Lehnsher." Erik turned slightly to look at the white haired youth who now stood before him.

"And you are?" He asked, glancing at the man who stood beside the youth. "And what do you want?"

"Isaac." He replied, a sly smile on his pale skin. "I have come with a proposal for you and the... good people of Genosha."

"What can you possibly offer?" Erik turned to face the youth fully, "You and your friends? he spotted the three by the door.

"If you join me, allow my 'friends' amnesty in your..." Isaac took a few steps forward, speading his arms, "Beautiful country and I will allow your country to continue its existence."

"What?" he growled, "You come before me, make demands and threaten me?" He took a step towards him.

"No, I come before you with a promise." Isaac sneered, "Do as I ask or I will let my Horsemen loose on your unprepared mutant populous."

-xXx-

Charles looked at John as the other's respirator took in a sharp breath. " _Genosha._ " John whispered, " _He has four followers?_ "

"Four? I thought he only needed three." Charles looked at him.

" _That is what I thought true but low and behold, he has four._ " John looked at Charles as he turned his chair. " _He is in Genosha. Why, I have no idea._ "

"He must be speaking with Erik." Charles sighed, "You may know him as Magneto."

" _I would suggest speaking with the man._ " John said, " _He may yeild to the madness that is Isaac, or at least the threat that he may deliver._ "

"You think he would? Isaac I mean." Charles asked, "Would he be brazen enough to threaten a country full of mutants."

" _If he brought his followers he isn't there for idle chat. If he can't talk Erik Lehnsher into doing what he wants. He may very well let his followers have fun._ " John said. " _Of course I could be completely wrong, though unlikely, the man is as mad as a bag of cats._ "

"You said there were four others. We know Zero but did you catch anything from the other three?" Charles asked as the rode the elevator back up to the main building.

" _Isaac is blocking perception of him and his followers. I was lucky enough to find Zero._ " John said, " _And your friend Erik is unreadable._ "

"His helmet makes it impossible for telepaths to read him." John stared at him, "It shields his mind." Charles sighed.

" _Well slap me and call me Petunia, where'd he get a thing like that?_ " a mental snort followed, " _Wait... never mind. I don't care._ "

"Do you care about anything?" Storm asked as she walked up to them.

John narrowed his eyes at her, " _Evidently not._ " He sniped, as he rolled past her " _It got tedious so I stopped._ " Storm looked to Charles, who gave a small, exasperated sigh. " _I heard that!_ "

Once out of earshot Storm sighed, "Why is he helping us professor? He seems to have no reason to." she asked softly.

"He knows Zero, and seems intent on finding him for some reason." Charles sighed, "Other than that I have no idea."

"I don't like him." Logan growled as he walked up to them, "He smells wrong."

"He seems to know you do not enjoy his presence." Storm said, "And that he can get under your skin."

Logan growled, "I ain't letting him anywhere near Ivan." he huffed.

"We know."


	16. Day 11 pt2

" _Do you intend to stare at me? Are you even going to say anything?_ " Kurt could hear the voice but the man it belonged to hadn't moved an inch. " _What's the matter? The proverbial cat got your tongue?_ "

"I'm..." Kurt began, but he was cut kff by the man as the chair turned.

" _Kurt Wagner. Yes, I know._ " was the reply, " _And I am John... well at least that is whatthe nice nurses have been calling me for the last twenty years._ "

"What are you doing here?" Kurt asked, "Are you here to see the professor?"

" _Been there, done that._ " John replied.

"You... you don't move?" Kurt felt stupid as soon as the question left his mouth. "I mean..."

" _Insert sarcastic clapping here, with added eye rolling._ " John sniped, " _Regular ball of fire you are! Yes genius, I don't move._ "

Kurt's felt embarrassed, "Why?"

" _It's called locked-in syndrome._ " John replied with a mental sigh. " _Non-mutants can't hear me, for some contrived and stupid reason._ "

"They... can't hear you?" Kurt asked, "Is that why you're so angry?"

John narrowed his eyes, " _Pardon?_ " he all but growled.

"You said you've the nurses called you John, for twenty years? Is it because no on could hear you for that time?" John was quiet as he stared at Kurt, this young man was staring at him with kind, understanding eyes full of warmth.

Probably why Isaac's brother liked him, " _Your point? What, are you going to care?_ " he asked, " _You going to try soften my defenses like you did with the brother of Isaac? Leave me open to attack?_ "

"What? No!" Kurt became flusted, "I just... I just thought you would like someone to speak to while you're here."

" _Sure. That's totally what you want._ " he turned his chair, respirator whining at the strain of his anger.

"Why are you angry? Are you afraid? Scared to ask for help?" He could tell Kurt was hurt by his words.

" _I am here for one thing, and one thing only. Finding Zero and repaying him for his actions._ " he growled as he rolled away.


	17. Day 15

" _And now back to our main headlines, Presidential candidate Horatio Alba has once again won the crowd at last night's presidential debate._ "

" _With voting day only weeks away, this could surely sway the voting public into his camp..."_

Logan muted the television with an audible 'Tch', "Who even supports this guy!?" he grumbled. "Who the hell is he?"

"He has won over both human and mutant, so apparently a lot of people support him." Storm replied with a sigh.

"Which begs the question of how he's won them over?" Jean looked at Charles, "Do you think he's a mutant professor?"

"The problem is not if he's a mutant. It's what he intends to do if he gains office." Storm said, folding her arms.

"He seems genuinely interested in helping the relationship between humans and mutants." Jean seemed optimistic about this statement, "Maybe he can help."

"Whatever the situation, we must be careful." Charles massaged the bridge of his nose, "We only know two of Isaac's horsemen. John said there is five in total..."

"Professor we have a problem." Logan growled as he un-muted the television.

" _Police have confirmed that an attack has occurred in the Saint-Michel station in the French capital of Paris. Those who have been evacuated from the station have said that multiple people, weilding what looked to be semiautomatic weapons, have taken more people hostage. We're going live to our French correspondent who has just arrived on-site._ "

" _I'm on site of an attack that moments ago led to a hostage situation, where an unconfirmed number of people are being held inside the main Metro station. The Parisian police had created a cordon around the metro entrance. The demands of the attackers have not yet been made, no contact has been made at all..._ "

"Professor, wasn't Scott and Rogue supposed to be there?" Jean said, voice quiet.

" _... wait. Someone is leaving the station."_ the camera panned around to the stairs leading down to the station. A woman, tan skin and dreadlocks, exited the stairwell dragging a person behind her.

" _S'arrêter là!_ " a police officer shouted, "La _libération de la jeune fille!_ "

"That's Rogue!" Logan growled, rising to his feet.

"But were is Scott?" Jean asked, shock all but stealing her voice.

" _De bon matin, la Police!_ " a laugh from the woman as she shot up into the air, screams erupted and people scattered. " _Now don't panic, we are here to talk. Aren't we little miss._ "


	18. Day 15 pt2

Rogue tried to struggle, but the woman's grasp on her arm was like a vice. "Let me go!" she continued to struggle. Then a gunshot went off beside her ear, leaving her ears ringing.

"Now don't panic, we are here to talk. Aren't we little miss." her accent, thick as Remi's but different somehow. "Now, y'all gonna put down your weapons or things are gonna get very interesting."

"Let go of me!" Rouge said, "You don't know what I am!" she tried to pull her arm away from her.

"Don't worry pitti, we gonna have a party." the woman grinned, "Mamma Maggot gonna treat you right." she fired off another shot and called to the police again, "You ask what we want, I tell you all I want is terror and anarchy!" more of her men flooded out of the station, gas masked and sporting automatics, and exchanged fire with the police as civilians ran in terror.

A shot flew past Rogue's face as she fought to free herself, "Why are you doing this?!" she demanded, voice cracking. "What do you want."

"Chaos Pitti, and this... this is gonna be BIBLICAL!" she threw Rogue to the floor and opened her mouth. Then continued opening as her jaw distended, a breath in and an exhalation of swarming insects followed. Millions of small flying insects, paired with locusts enveloped the police and remaining civilians. "Let's bring on the plagues!!!" she laughed.

Rouge watched in horror as a police officer close to them tried to reach out, blood flowing from his eyes and nose, as his body became hollow and gaunt. A cloud of dust erupted as the man hit the ground, earning a scream from Rouge. "What... what the...?" she backed away, before coming to a sudden stop.

"This is just the beginning Pitti, it's gonna be Hell." Rouge looked up having realized that her barrier was Mamma Maggot's legs. Mamma Maggot, who's grin was full of malice, looked at her. "Enjoy the ride."


	19. Day 15 pt3

Scott could hear the screams, panic echoing down the subway tunnels. "Rogue!" he made for the stairs, running full tilt towards the epicentre. His run was cut short when an arm clotheslined him, forcing him to the floor gasping for air. "Good morning Mr. Summers." his gaze fell on a tall man, dark and ominous, staring down at him. A gloved hand grabbed him by the front of his jacket and dragged him up the stairs.

The screaming got louder, gunshots ringing out in air thick with blood and ash. He was thrown to the ground beside a woman, her high heels giving her away, "Well, well, well, what do we have here?" he looked up, "It seems you have found our missing man! Pitti was very worried about you." he followed her gaze to Rogue, bound and gagged against a wall. "So." she squatted down on her haunches, a smirk on her face, "Why did the Professor send you two? What could be so important in this fair city?"

Scott growled, trying to get up but a boot in between his shoulder blades forced him back to the ground. "Why are you doing this?" he struggled against the pressure on his back.

"Come now mon petit ami, don't you know who I am? I'm..."

" _Mamma Maggot. She's a mutant Bio-Terrorist, with the ability to summon disease bearing flies and other biblical bullcrap._ " John looked at Charles, as the newscaster tried to reestablish communication with the Parisian reporter. " _One is now to assume that she is Issac's Pestilence._ "

"So now we know him and two of his horsemen." Charles sighed, "Death, Famine and Pestilence. Who does that leave?"

" _War and Conquest. He's mixing and matching with his Biblical references._ " John replied, " _The team you sent better be prepared for anyone and everything._ "

"Do you think Isaac or Zero are going to be there?" Charles looked back to the television, the woman on screen trying to explain the story.

" _I can guarantee that Zero is going to be there. Though I doubt Isaac will unveil his War and Conquest at this early a stage._ " John cast his gaze to Charles, " _But it can be assumed that it won't take long for him to do so._ "

"This may be his Endgame." Charles sighed, closing his eyes and messaging the bridge of his nose.

The sound of clapping came suddenly, out of nowhere and startled both men. "And what an Endgame it will be Professor."


	20. Day 15 pt4

"What's the matter Professor? You look as though you have seen a ghost." Isaac, having hijacked his brother's body, sneered with a sadistic smile. "And look! You have a new project!"

"Isaac?" Charles growled in anger, "What is your plan? What is the benefit of taking Paris?"

"Come now Charles, a girl must keep some secrets." a chucke, "But the prize isn't Paris, a country has nothing that I could ever want."

" _T_ _hen what is the preferred outcome?_ " John asked, narrowing his eyes, " _What is it you want?_ "

"Why Mr. Doe, what I want is simple. I want pure, unfiltered terror and despair!" he threw Ivan's arms wide, before wrapping them around him with a shudder, "Oh even the thought makes me quiver in delight!"

" _You are one sick man Isaac._ " John's words were laced with anger.

"Aw, thanks for noticing." another chuckle, and a mocking flick of hair, "It's a difficult look to pull off but I try."

"So you're goal is to destroy humanity? Why?" Charles pressed.

"And Mutants. Don't forget the mutants." A sadistic sneer. "I want to destroy everything! Every single person on this wretched, putrid and dying planet."

" _Everyone? Yourself included?_ " John asked.

"Of course!" an inappropriately happy response, "What kind of destruction would it be if I missed little old me?" a wistful sigh, "Oh well, I hope you enjoy Armageddon as much as I will!" his control on Ivan dissipate, leaving an extreme of emotions in the young man.

" _Well._ " John paused, " _Here's to the end of days._ "


	21. Day 16

(Sorry for the delay, life got on top of me.)

Rogue squirmed against her bonds, gritting her teeth as the ropes burned her skin. Looking to Scott for the first time since coming too, she noticed they had taken his visor. She also noticed they were on a boat of some kind, made of wood and rocking gently in the water. "Scott? " She whispered, no answer. "Scott?" she raised her voice, to which she earned a nod.

Her body froze as a door opened, and a spill of light filled the room. Footsteps echoed from the wooden steps, slow and calculated, carefully moving around boxes and bags. He was barely visable in the dark cabin, back-lit by the light streaming in, tall and ominous. "What do you want with us?" Scott asked.

"Our friends will find us." Rogue chiped in "You..."

"A preferred outcome." his voice was quiet, emotionless. He looked at her, soulless black orbs boring into her, then moved to grab her. It happened in a split secong, but Rogue was left blinded by Scott's optic beam. The man looked down at the gaping hole through him, then at the splattered metal crate behind him. The man was slow and calculated as he movved to Scott, but quick in knocking her companion right out.

"What are you?" Rogue gasped, watching as the metal corroded away and the man's wound knitted itself together.

"Mon dieu! What in the name of damnation is going on Zero!?" The angry call, followed by footsteps came from above. "You can't even grab une petite pitti."

"A minor set back." He grabbed Rogue and dragged her to the steps, where Mama Maggot was standing unamused.

Her face lit up with sick, possibly sinister intentions, "We want your friends to come, we want them to save you. Because they will send someone who Monsieur Karutzev has a lot of interest in meeting." she grinned, "And your fine male friend is a good investment in this goal. You were just the pawn to catch him."

"What do you mean?" Rogue questioned cautiously, then it dawned on her, "Jean."

Maggot clapped mockingly, "But it seems that neither of you can play nice so measures must be taken mon pitti. Can't have you sinking our lovely boat can we?" she walked away and suddenly Rogue's world went black.


	22. Day 17

The smell hit him first, the putrid stench of ash, blood and rot. Logan growled as they searched the quarantined streets, "They must have escaped by boat." he looked at Jean, standing on the edge of the Seine.

"Probably explains why I can't track 'em." he grumbled as Storm returned, "Anything?"

"They are heading towards Le Havre and Honfleur." She replied, "Which means they are heading to the English Channel."

"They must be meeting up with a bigger vessel." Jean turned from the water, "Big enough that it won't get this far inland upon the Seine."

"Which means big problems." Logan growled, "Someone is supplying him with toys and we need to stop them."

The signature BAMF alerted the three to Kurt's arrival. "They have Rogue and Cyclops." he said quickly.

"How many of them?" Jean asked him. "Did you find out where they're going?"

"It's only two." he looked between them, "But they don't need more."

"They? Pestilence and Famine?" Storm questioned softly, "We must tred carefully."

"You can say that again! Creepy Famine guy is scary, unnatural even." Kurt fidgeted.

"Come, we must alert the professor."

" **We have bigger problems Charles.** " John huffed, " **Someone has been giving equipment, weapons, and transportation to Isaac. WHO, I must insist on reminding you, can hijack his vegetable brother!** "

"You don't need to remind me, thank you." Charles sighed in exasperation.

" **Funny, I thought you hadn't been paying attention.** " John retorted, " **We also have to find the other Horsemen, you know, War and Conquest?** "

"Any bright nuggets of input or are you content with complaining?" Charles replied just before the door to his office slammed open.

"I believe I may be able to help."


End file.
